Field
The present disclosure relates to synthetic organic chemistry, and in particular to [1.1.1]-bicyclopentane-based compounds (propellane derivatives) and their synthesis.
Description
There is significant need for new categories of small organic molecules useful as reagents in synthetic organic chemistry. Although it has been estimated that there are 1060 possible small carbon-containing molecules, only a tiny fraction of those can be effectively and efficiently synthesized using known reactions and readily-available starting materials (or “building blocks”). New building blocks or more efficient methods of synthesizing known but expensive building blocks could expand the chemical space available for exploration, for example, in areas such as pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemistry, polymers, advanced materials, and many other areas of endeavor.
One structural motif that is highly under-represented in synthetic organic chemistry is bicyclo[1.1.1]pentane (BCP) having the structure:

This is largely due to the difficulty, high cost, and low yields of BCP and its derivatives using known synthetic schemes. Although BCP has been the subject of some experimentation as a structural motif in pharmaceuticals, polymers, liquid crystal displays, high energy density materials, nanoparticles or molecular rods, macrocycles, organometallic complexes, and physical organic chemistry, compounds having a BCP structure have yet to be commercialized in those fields. In short, commercial use of BCPs has been hampered by availability and cost of reagents.